Christmas Cinnamon Rolls

I started cooking when I was a kid, maybe around seven years old. I don't really remember learning to cook, just always had an interest in it and enjoyed spending time in the kitchen with my mom. I have frequently said how lucky I am to have a mom who can actually cook well, because I have grown up to be one of the few  young adults who can put ingredients together to create good food. And, a bonus is the fact that I actually like to do so most of the time.

Growing up, my mom would let me in the kitchen and show me how to prepare food, how to read and follow recipes, and how to analyze food for the perfect taste and experience, adjusting flavors as needed. Without this early childhood food experience, who knows what my kitchen would be like today. I find the creation of food to be gratifying, comforting, enjoyable. And yes, I tend to be an alpha in the kitchen - sorry mom.

I had the joy of cooking with my mom again over Christmas, I find it entertaining to be the one who shows my mom new tricks and tools, but she still has new discoveries to show me as well.
Together we made stuffed french toast (day 10), salted chocolate caramels (day 11), and cinnamon rolls (day 12). When I was a kid, my grandmother had a tea room that had the most incredible cinnamon rolls ever. She would make them over Christmas when we visited, and we loved them. I remember the day I found out that she ordered her cinnamon rolls from a company and just baked them at the shop. Boy, was I disheartened. But then, I realized I have the opportunity to make cinnamon rolls better than my grandmother's - which would be awesome.

The only problem is, yeast scares me. Yeast is the volatile little creature that can make or break your baked goods. Yes, yeast is a bit terrifying at times. And then, when you feel you have mastered the yeast, proofed it just right, and allowed it to rise, you have to face the oven. Which is where my cinnamon rolls really suffered. Overly brown on the outside, still a touch doughy on the inside. They weren't as good as grandmother's, but they were still tasty!